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Amazon Prime has become the first streaming giant to finally counteract the poor sound quality of modern flat-screen TVs.
There is a surge of people watching shows and movies with subtitles due to mumbled dialogue and background noise that is too loud.
Amazon has launched its Dialogue Boost, making it easier to hear characters talk without sacrificing quality.
The AI-powered feature isolates speech patterns and enhances the audio without amplifying the music or effects.
The AI-powered feature enhances the dialogue without increasing the music and effects. It’s in the audio and subtitles drop-down menu and is available on all devices that support Prime Video
The feature is located in the audio and subtitles drop-down menu and is available on all devices that support Prime Video.
Raf Soltanovich, VP of technology at Prime Video and Amazon Studios, said in Wednesday’s announcement, “At Prime Video, we are committed to building an inclusive, equitable and enjoyable streaming experience for all our customers.
“Our library of subtitled and audio-narrated content continues to grow, and by leveraging our technology capabilities to create breakthrough innovations like Dialogue Boost, we’re taking another step toward creating a more accessible streaming experience.”
Using AI, the system can look up dialogue rather than all the sounds played during a show or movie.
Users choose between medium and high as their preferred volume.
Dialogue Boost is available for select Amazon Originals, including “Jack Ryan” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and specific movies.
Amazon didn’t disclose all of them, but said “a handful of titles.”
“The feature will be available for other titles this year,” Amazon said in the announcement.
a study conducted in 2022 found that 50 percent of US TV viewers use subtitles and 55 percent of those surveyed find dialogue on TV difficult to understand.
The results come from a survey of more than 1,260 Americans who asked how and why subtitles are used.
Amazon Prime Video has been criticized for terrible sound quality, but Dialogue Boost claims to improve the audio
Using AI, the system can look up dialogue rather than all the sounds played during a show or movie. Users choose between medium and high as their preferred volume
At least 89 percent of respondents reported using subtitles in the past, with 62 percent saying they use subtitles more on streaming services than on regular TV.
The survey also found that 53 percent of Americans use subtitles more often than they used to, and audio mixing issues appear to be at least part of the reason.
A whopping 78 percent have difficulty hearing dialogue due to loud background music in movies and TV shows, leading 55 percent of respondents to agree that it’s harder to hear dialogue on screen than it used to be. the research said.
Netflix also made headlines this week, revealing that it has delayed its long-touted crackdown on password sharing.
It also announced that it is permanently discontinuing the DVD mail service the company initially defined some 25 years ago.
The streaming giant shared the developments on Tuesday, as it reported a rise in first-quarter subscriber growth that beat analysts’ expectations, but revenue fell slightly short of Wall Street forecasts.
Netflix said it added 1.75 million new subscribers for the quarter ended March, nearly 550,000 more than FactSet’s consensus estimates.
This is in stark contrast to the loss of 200,000 subscribers the company suffered during the same period last year.